• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

ChrisOatley.com

Disney Character Designer answers your questions about Concept Art, Character Design for Animation, Digital Painting & Illustration.

  • PODCAST
  • TUTORIALS
  • MENTORSHIP
  • ABOUT
    • ART
    • CONTACT
  • SUBSCRIBE

Illustration

[Announcement] The Future Of The ArtCast, Artistacon & Dream Machine!

By Chris Oatley

The Album Art for 'The Visual Storytelling Podcast.' An elegantly designed, abstraction of an orange tree. Art by Maike Venhofen.

Hello, my friends!

Chris Oatley here with a few time-sensitive ArtCast Announcements!

In this recording, I’ll provide updates on:

  • Dream Machine my new Social Media course for Artists.
  • My upcoming presentation at Artistacon 2019 (plus a discount code).
  • …and what to expect as we begin re-branding The ArtCast!

Here we go!

[Read more…] about [Announcement] The Future Of The ArtCast, Artistacon & Dream Machine!

4 Keys To A Long and Healthy Illustration Career :: ArtCast #114

By Chris Oatley

Cartoony illustration of an eccentric butterfly with floral print wings, wearing a pink speedo and sunglasses, relaxing while drinking a pina colada. Two regular butterflies admire from across the swimming pool. Artist: Chris Oatley

How long did it take you to learn the “Happy Birthday” song?

…and how long would it take you to learn to sing a pitch-perfect, note-for-note, Broadway power ballad?

Years, right?

Because style takes time.

…and how many wrong notes would you produce in private before you gained the confidence to perform live?

Millions.

Process and performance are different things.

Let’s pretend you have some real potential. Would you start chain smoking and take a day job in a coal mine to pay the bills?

Of course not.

You gotta take care of your moneymaker.

And when you’re a big hit on Broadway with crossover success in movies and pop music…

…did you make it without a mentor?

Probably not.

A good mentor is essential.

We can easily see the absurdity in the image of an aspiring Broadway star who expects instant results, performs without practice, neglects their throat and lungs and thinks they’ll somehow succeed without expert perspectives.

But it’s a lot harder to see – in ourselves – the illustrator who expects instant results, publishes without practice, neglects their body and brain and thinks they’ll somehow succeed without expert perspectives.

Today, Lauren Panepinto (Creative Director for the Sci-Fi/ Fantasy publisher Orbit Books) and Marc Scheff (Games-Illustrator-turned-Fine-Artist) join me to share 4 Keys To A Long And Healthy Illustration Career…

[Read more…] about 4 Keys To A Long and Healthy Illustration Career :: ArtCast #114

How Distractions Help You Become A More Focused Artist (With Life Drawing Expert Stan Prokopenko) :: ArtCast #107

By Chris Oatley

Can distractions help you become a more focused artist?

Why does speed seem like such a waste of time?

Do you draw in “The Beginner Style?”

…and how can you avoid the most common drawing mistakes?

Life Drawing Expert Stan Prokopenko joins me today on The Oatley Academy ArtCast…

[Read more…] about How Distractions Help You Become A More Focused Artist (With Life Drawing Expert Stan Prokopenko) :: ArtCast #107

Interview with Scholastic Editor Orli Zuravicky :: Stories Unbound #19

By Chris Oatley

StoriesUnbound19_OrliZuravicky_420wideOrli Zuravicky is a Senior Editor at Scholastic and the author of the forthcoming Happily Ever Afterlife middle grade novel series.

In this interview we talk about:

  • How an Editor chooses an Illustrator.
  • How to approach an Editor at a conference.
  • How being an Editor helped Orli become a better writer.
  • Why manuscript submissions get rejected.
  • Why there are more opportunities in Kidlit now than ever before.

[Read more…] about Interview with Scholastic Editor Orli Zuravicky :: Stories Unbound #19

Interview with Creature Designer & Fantasy Illustrator Brynn Metheney (Part 2) :: ArtCast #97

By Chris Oatley

097_BrynnMetheney_PostArt-v02

In part one of our interview with Brynn Metheney, we talked about her childhood in the desert, how her father’s job as an engineer helped her understand creature design, and how she makes her animals feel so real…

In part two, Brynn shares some nitty gritty drawing tips and practical ways to improve when your artistic growth seems slow.

She traces her path from obsessive animal doodler, to official creature teacher and talks about the benefits of specialization.

Ejiwa Ebenebe – now a producer on The ArtCast – joins me as co-host.

[Read more…] about Interview with Creature Designer & Fantasy Illustrator Brynn Metheney (Part 2) :: ArtCast #97

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 8
  • Go to Next Page »

Footer

Become A Professional Visual Storyteller

Art careers in the Entertainment Industry are flourishing. Subscribe today, never miss an update and learn what it really takes to break in…

Subscribe Now >>

  • VisDev
  • Character Design
  • Concept Art
  • Illustration
  • Mindset
  • Story

Copyright © 2023 Visual Voice, LLC · Privacy Policy · Terms Of Service · Cookie Policy · Community Guidelines · Log in · Contact

 

Loading Comments...